Roksanda Ilincic Fall 2013: Spring Is In the Air

Maybe it was the sun or the uncharacteristically warm London day but spring was definitely in the air on the last day of London fashion week--despite the fact that we were seeing fall 2013 collections.
Right after we took in Simone Rocha's feminine, pink collection, we strolled over to The Savoy, where Roksanda Ilincic showed her fall 2013 collection in the hotel's ballroom. Ilincic had affixed carpets of varying size and shades of pinks to the space's already gorgeous, elaborately trimmed walls. It was a hint of what was to come.

Maybe it was the sun or the uncharacteristically warm London day but spring was definitely in the air on the last day of London fashion week--despite the fact that we were seeing fall 2013 collections.

Right after we took in Simone Rocha's feminine, pink collection, we strolled over to The Savoy, where Roksanda Ilincic showed her fall 2013 collection in the hotel's ballroom. Ilincic had affixed carpets of varying size and shades of pinks to the space's already gorgeous, elaborately trimmed walls. It was a hint of what was to come.

The designer told WWD, "I wanted to have a breath of spring fresh air and break with tradition." Indeed, her first looks out--pale pink and pale grey ensembles, sometimes with a hint of neon green--were not your traditional fall offering. However, they were definitely ladylike and conservative in their own way. Perhaps we'll be seeing Britain's first lady, Samantha Cameron, who's a fan of Ilincic, in some of the designs soon.

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What SamCam probably won't be wearing: the edgy PVC items, done up in pale pink, and the faux fur shawls in green and pink. Those garments, along with black frocks encrusted with crystals in a way that looked like someone had just broken glass all over them, added some welcome and unexpected elements to a solid collection.

The generous front row gift at Roksanda Ilincic today was a colorful set of Sennheiser headphones, a fitting match for an incredibly cool collection. The designer has really elevated her skills in the last couple of seasons, and today's stellar show firmly cemented her status as one of London's best designers, alongside her peers Christopher Kane and Erdem.

LONDON--Roksanda Ilincic's Fall 2011 collection was interesting. Part of it--the dark lips, the silver satin--reminded me of Gwyneth Paltrow circa 1996. Another part--the loose waves, the column dresses in odd colors like tangerine and royal blue--reminded me of 1940s Hollywood. Despite its glossy facade, I was a bit befuddled by it all. And not necessarily in a bad way. Ilincic is quite obviously designing for herself, not around what people expect from her. Is that the makings of a great designer? I think...maybe.